BORAGINACE^; BORAGE FAMILY 



Mertensia maritima, (L.) S. F. Gray. 



White to blue 



Sea Lungwort. 

 June-September 



Mertensia: in honour of a German botanist. 

 Maritima: Latin for sea-side. 



,THE PREFERRED HABITAT: beach sand. 



THE PLANT: low-lying, spreading or partially erect, with 

 branches three inches to eight inches long; stem smooth and 

 covered with a bloom. 



THE LEAVES: alternate; obovate to ovate; one to four 

 inches long; fleshy; becoming roughened above; acute or 

 obtuse at the apex; narrowed at the base; the lower and 

 basal contracted into petioles. 



THE FLOWERS: very small, bell-funnel form, twice the 

 length of the calyx. 



THE FRUIT: a nutlet. 



Unfortunately, few people have been sufficiently lucky 

 to have seen this plant, so rare on Nantucket. Without 

 question, it is the handsomest of the beach plants. If one 

 has ever caught sight of the large, blue flowers amid their 

 bright green foliage, against the brownish background of 

 the sand, and with the blue, white-capped ocean near by, 

 one can never forget the vision. 



Its presence on Nantucket is interesting, because the 

 island is the southern limit of its range. In speaking of 

 the plant, Mr. Bicknell says: 



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